Electronic charger-starter for vehicles

• US 5,844,384 A
• Filed: 10/15/1996
• Issued: 12/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lacme
• Original Assignee: Lacme
• Inventors: Mulet-Marquis, Yves, Hamm, Valery
• Primary Examiner(s): Ip, Paul
• Application Number:
  US08/731,305
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 318/140-150, 318/138, 318/139, 290/4-9, 290/50, 322/25, 322/8, 322/28, 322/90, 320/15, 320/6, 320/19, 320/2, 320/39, 320/61, 320/16, 307/64, 307/66, 307/150, 307/149, 324/434, 324/627
• US Class Current: 318/140
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/122 Provisions for temporary connection of DC sources of essentially the same voltage, e.g. jumpstart cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence

Abstract

A control circuit of the current to the secondary and a control circuit of the voltage to the secondary are such that the current for charging the battery and the current for starting will each have a defined maximum value, and such that the voltage at the battery terminals will have a predetermined maximum value.

Claims

1. An electronic charger-starter device for a vehicle with a battery and a starter mounted in parallel to the battery, said electronic charger-starter device comprising:

a first high voltage electronic circuit for being supplied with alternating rectified current without smoothing from an alternating current distribution network, said first circuit for operating in a charging mode and a starting mode;

a second low voltage electronic circuit comprising a diode, an output of said second circuit being connected to the terminals of the battery, said second circuit supplying, in said charging mode, a charging current to the battery, and in said starting mode, a starting current to the starter;

a transformer having a primary connected to an output of said first circuit and a secondary connected to an input to said second circuit, said transformer for ensuring electrical isolation between said first and second circuits and transmitting energy from said first circuit to said second circuit;

a voltage control circuit for controlling a voltage at said secondary, said voltage control circuit receiving an information corresponding to a voltage of the battery in order to act on said first circuit so that said voltage does not exceed a maximum value; and

a current control circuit for controlling said charging current and said starting current at said secondary, comprising a current limitation means mounted in said first circuit for limiting a current supplied from the network to said first circuit so that said charging current and said starting current do not exceed respective maximum values.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a switch for controlling automatic operation of said starting mode of said first circuit, in order to supply said starting current to the starter of the vehicle.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said first circuit comprises a power transistor connected in series to said primary, said transistor for operating as a chopper for controlling a value of a pulsed current passing through said primary, and a pulse width modulator, the output of which controls duration of conduction of said transistor in order to regulate the value of the pulsed current passing through said primary.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein said current limitation means comprises a first resistance mounted in series with said transistor and said primary, and plural resistors connected in parallel to said first resistance, said resistors having a measuring point, which is at a voltage image of a current at said secondary, said measuring point being connected to an input of said modulator.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein said voltage control circuit comprises a third electronic circuit having in series a resistor and an electro-luminescent diode which are mounted in parallel to the battery, said electro-luminescent diode having a light intensity which is proportional to a voltage at the secondary.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein said voltage control circuit comprises an energy controller having a resistor and a photo-transistor in series, said photo-transistor receiving a light flux from said electro-luminescent diode, said resistor and said photo-transistor having a common point which is at a voltage image of the voltage at the secondary, said common point being connected to another input to said modulator.

7. The device according to claim 4, wherein said first circuit comprises a switch, mounted in parallel to one of said plural resistors, said switch, when opened, for supplying said charging current to the battery, and when closed, for supplying said starting current to the starter.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein in said charging mode, said charging current is at its maximum value while the voltage at the battery rises to its maximum value, and when the battery voltage reaches its maximum value, said charging current decreases to zero.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein in said starting mode, said starting current is at its maximum value while the voltage of the battery rises to its maximum value, and when the battery voltage reaches its maximum value, said starting current decreases to zero.

10. An electronic starter-charger for a vehicle having a battery and a starter connected in parallel with the battery, the starter-charger comprising:

a transformer with a primary for being connected to an alternating current power source and a secondary for being connected to the battery;

a battery voltage control circuit connected to said secondary for sensing a voltage at said secondary and comprising a light emitting indicator of the sensed voltage; and

an input control circuit connected to said primary for controlling a voltage of said primary and comprising a photo-sensitive transistor for sensing light emitted by said light emitting indicator and a modulator connected to said photo-sensitive transistor and to said primary for adjusting the voltage of said primary so that a maximum voltage of the battery is not exceeded.

11. The starter-charger of claim 10, wherein said input control circuit further comprises,

a power transistor and a first resistor connected in series to said primary,

plural resistors connected between said first resistor and said power transistor, said plural resistors having a connection point therebetween that is connected to said modulator, and

a switch connected in parallel to one of said plural resistors, said switch for being connected to the starter and for selecting provision of one of a charging current and a starting current by said transformer to the battery.

12. The starter-charger of claim 11, wherein said modulator is for automatically reducing said charging current and said starting current to zero when the battery is at its maximum voltage.

13. An electronic starter-charger for a vehicle having a battery and a starter connected in parallel with the battery, the starter-charger comprising:

a transformer with a primary for being connected to an alternating current power source and a secondary for being connected to the battery;

a battery voltage sensor for sensing a voltage at the secondary; and

an input control circuit connected to said primary for controlling a current at said secondary, said input control circuit comprising,

a pulse width modulator for receiving an indication of the sensed voltage,

a power transistor and a first resistor connected in series to said primary,

plural resistors connected between said first resistor and said power transistor, said plural resistors having a connection point therebetween that is connected to said modulator, and

a switch connected in parallel to one of said plural resistors, said switch for being connected to the starter and for selecting provision of one of a charging current and a starting current by said transformer to the battery,

wherein said pulse width modulator is for automatically setting said charging current and said starting current to zero when the battery is at its maximum voltage.